spirit

spirit The Hebrew ruach means wind (Exod. 10: 13) or breath (Gen. 6: 17) or divine power (Ezek. 37: 9 f.) All imply something awesome. In the NT the Greek pneuma has a width of meaning—the spirit would come as fire and judgement (Matt. 3: 11 f.), its coming on the disciples at Pentecost resembled fire (Acts 2: 3) but the sound was like wind (Greek, pneuma). Prefaced by the adjective ‘holy’, the reference is to the divine Spirit, or Spirit of God. As such it is not mentioned very much in the synoptic gospels, since in Christian belief this Spirit was not given before the Lord's resurrection/glorification (John 7: 39). But at a few significant and exceptional moments the Spirit is said to come—at Jesus' conception (Luke 1: 35) and baptism (Luke 3: 16 f.). He was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness (Mark 1: 12). The Spirit is promised to the disciples (Mark 13: 11; Luke 11: 13) and the promise is fulfilled for the assembled Church at Pentecost (Acts 2) and on individuals at the beginning of their new life (Gal. 3: 2 f.; Rom. 8: 9 ff. Cf. John 3: 3 ff.). The coming of the Spirit brought joy (a word which sometimes seems equivalent to Spirit, as in Acts 8: 39) and a variety of gifts (1 Cor. 12: 4 ff.) for building up the Church. The Spirit reveals new truth to every generation (John 14: 26; 16: 12 f.) and it is by the Spirit that the believer is enabled to recognize who Jesus is (1 Cor. 12: 3) and to follow his example (2 Cor. 3: 18).